Computer-based user interfaces typically display lists of items, such as file names, directory names, or other object names, within a display area, such as a within a navigation window or a listbox. Where the length of a list item is greater than the width of the display area in which the item is displayed, the list item will not be entirely visible. This is demonstrated by way of example in FIG. 1A, where the list item “com.ibm.hrl.juru” is only partially visible when it is displayed within a listbox 100 on the display of a computer 102. Typically, in order to view the entire list item, either the display area may be widened, or, if a horizontal scrollbar is provided, the scrollbar may be slid to reveal the hidden portion of the list item. It may be possible to uniquely identify a partially-displayed list item by its visible portion if the visible portion is unique among the visible portions of other displayed items in the list, as is the case for the list item “com.ibm.hrl.juru” among the other items in listbox 100. However, where multiple list items have a common prefix, such as the prefix “com.ibm.hrl.juru” shared by each of the list items in list 104 as shown by way of example in FIG. 1B, unless the display area is wide enough to allow for the display of a unique portion of each list item, it will not be possible to distinguish between the different list items without manipulating the display area as described above.